FIRST QUARTER

Kansas State 3, USC 0

THE SCORING: * Kansas St. 3, USC 0: Jared Brite, 41-yard field goal at 6:14. 62-yard drive, 13 plays.

TURNING POINT: The moment the Wildcats got their hands on the football. After the Trojans’ first drive stalled at the Kansas State 47-yard line, USC punted the ball and didn’t see it again until the Wildcats were on the scoreboard. The Kansas State option offense was easy to describe-quarterback Ell Roberson keeps the ball, Roberson flips the ball to first option Josh Scobey-but not so easy to stop. With only Roberson and Scobey handling the ball on all but one play of a 62-yard drive, Kansas State moved smoothly into position for the quarter’s only score.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: Tailback Sultan McCullough, who was also inexplicably not in the game plan. A week ago against San Jose State, McCullough rushed for 167 yards and three touchdowns. The Wildcats wondered how they were going to keep the ball out of his hands, but they need not have been concerned. USC Coach Pete Carroll took care of that as McCullough got only three carries for a minus-one yard.

STAT WATCH: Roberson gained 43 yards in seven carries, Scobey 26 in seven, accounting for all but three of the Wildcats’ yards rushing.

SECOND QUARTER

Kansas State 10, USC 0

THE SCORING: * Kansas St. 10, USC 0: Nick Leckey fumble recovery in the end zone after 11-yard run by Scobey at 9:38. 75-yard drive, six plays. PAT-Brite (kick).

TURNING POINT: It came during a furious scramble in the end zone after Scobey, taking a pitchout from Roberson, raced down the right sideline to the goal line, where defensive back Troy Polamalu reached in and knocked the ball loose. For an instant, USC had a chance to kill the drive, regain the momentum and keep the Wildcat margin at three points. Instead, the ball wound up in the grasp of Leckey for the only touchdown of the first half.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: A variety of mistakes, physical and mental, that added up to a scoreless Trojan half. The quarter began with a punt bouncing off the facemask of Kareem Kelly. It also included a delay-of-game penalty when Matt Grootegoed wasn’t on the field for a USC punt. And finally, the Trojans’ only shot at a first-half score, David Davis’ bid for his first field goal, came up a few yards short on a 42-yard attempt.

STAT WATCH: Through the first 30 minutes, McCullough had 21 yards rushing. All three Wildcat ballcarriers-Roberson, Scobey and Rock Cartwright-surpassed that total.

THIRD QUARTER

Kansas State 10, USC 6

THE SCORING: * Kansas St. 10, USC 6: McCullough, seven-yard run at 7:41, 27-yard drive, four plays. PAT--kick blocked.

TURNING POINT: On a third-and-11 play at the Wildcat 31-yard line, Roberson, back in the pocket to pass, heard pressure behind him but figured he could take a step forward to gain a few needed seconds. He was wrong. As Roberson dropped his arm to pass, defensive lineman Lonnie Ford dropped him to the turf, causing the fumble that eventually led to the only score for the Trojans.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: With Aaron Lockett, the nation’s leading punt returner last season, about to receive a Trojan kick at the Wildcat 17, Polamalu leveled him, leaving Lockett motionless for a moment and firing up a Trojan crowd that seemed to have lost interest in a dull defensive struggle. The Trojans scored the next time they had the ball.

STAT WATCH: Through three quarters, Lockett was the only receiver Roberson had connected with, his passing total only 26 net yards.

FOURTH QUARTER

Kansas State 10, USC 6

THE SCORING: None.

TURNING POINT: Driving toward the potential game-winning touchdown, USC quarterback Carson Palmer scrambled from the Kansas State 28-yard line to the 25 on a second-and-eight play, only to be sandwiched between defenders Justin Montgomery and Josh Buhl. The ball slipped from Palmer’s grasp and was recovered by the Wildcats’ Henry Bryant, ending the last USC threat.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: Even after Kansas State had celebrated its victory, the Wildcats couldn’t relax. The officials ruled one second remained, giving the Trojans one last chance from their own 15-yard line. Palmer threw a desperation pass that was knocked away, starting the Wildcat celebration all over again.

STAT WATCH: Roberson and Scobey rushed for 284 of the Wildcats’ 340 yards. Palmer was USC’s leading rusher with 60 yards and 5.0 average.